1 What is cordyceps?
Many people wonder, is cordyceps a tree or a child? Cordyceps, according to folklore, means that the winter is an insect, and the summer is a herbaceous plant.
In fact, this is a magical combination of insects and plants. It is essentially a fungus called Ophiocordyceps Sinensis (belonging to the Ascomycetes group of fungi) but parasitic on the body of butterfly larvae of the genus Thitarodes Viette. The most common is still the worm larvae of the species called Hepialus Armoricanus.
Origin of cordyceps
Many people wonder where cordyceps grow in nature?
Cordyceps is found in the highlands of the mountains of Tibet, Bhutan, Yunnan, Guizhou, etc. of China. The place has rugged terrain with an altitude of over 4000m above sea level and extremely harsh weather.
Where does Cordyceps live? – Medicinal plants grow mainly in TibetAncient documents record that the formation of cordyceps is one of nature's greatest miracles. Normally, young caterpillar larvae when grown will develop into butterflies. However, some worm larvae during dormancy in the ground were infected with the fungus Cordyceps Sinensis. Fungi live in larvae, developing fibers that absorb nutrients inside. Over time, the thriving mycelium will invade the host, causing the larvae to die. Existence in this form is called "coinfection".
At a certain point, usually in the summer, the mushroom grows a long brown stem that rises from the worm's head out of the ground like a herbaceous plant, so it is called "summer grass". From March to July every year, local people start the hunt for "soft gold" in the craggy and dangerous high mountains.
People harvest the whole thing, including stomata, mycelium and larvae. After being harvested, cordyceps can be used fresh, dried or made into a variety of preparations such as soaked in wine, finely grated, drinking water, tablets, etc.
Identification characteristics of cordyceps
Cordyceps is a rare and valuable medicinal herb. Therefore, this is also the type that is often faked to gain illicit profits.
Cordyceps have very recognizable characteristics| To identify the standard natural cordyceps, readers can base on the characteristics | The herbaceous part grows upright like a stick, dark brown, rough shell bearing seeds containing sporangia. The head is swollen, supple, and hard to break even after drying. |
| The deep stem and the mushroom are connected together, the total length is about 10-11cm, the width is about 10mm. |
| There are 8 pairs of legs, but only 4 pairs in the middle of the abdomen are visible. |
| The body is shaped like a silkworm, 3-5cm long, dark yellow or dark yellow brown. Body has many horizontal veins, at the tip is smaller, dark red and clearly striated. The body is easily broken, the inside has a yellowish white intestine, the V-shaped intestine is visible. |
2 Classification of cordyceps and how to recognize it
Today, thanks to the advancement of science and technology, many countries including Vietnam have successfully cultured artificial cordyceps. Therefore, besides the actual forest cordyceps on the market there are many other types.
According to the origin of cordyceps |
Nature | Extremely rare with the highest nutrient content, found in Tibet, Bhutan and some provinces of China. The price is expensive, ranging from 1.5 to 2 billion VND/kg, the annual exploitation output is less than 80kg |
Artificial | Cultivate fungi on silkworm pupae larvae or on substrates such as brown rice, corn, green beans, egg shells, etc. and harvest mushrooms. The price varies depending on the quality, about 40-55 million VND/kg dry. |
According to the state of cordyceps |
Dry type | Treated by pyrolysis by drying, fresh from fresh for convenience in storage and use. Has a strong fishy smell, the nutrient content is about 95-98% compared to the fresh type, can be preserved for 3 years. |
Fresh type | Harvested for less than 1 month, stored at low temperatures, characterized by a slightly strong mushroom aroma. This is the type with the highest nutrient content. |
The type of drying is preferred because it is convenient and easy to storeAccording to the form of cordyceps | Whole | Keep the shape of the cordyceps, including the body and the mycelium. This type is often very expensive, used to decoction, stew soup or chew raw. |
Capsule form | It is a fine powder but packed in capsules for ease of use and storage. |
Water form | Extracted into water form, can be combined with many other ingredients and bottled, used for direct drinking. |
Tea bag form | Packed into tea bags, used for daily drinking is very convenient. |
Powder form | Crushed into a fine powder, often used to cook porridge, make tea. |
3 The effect of cordyceps on health
It is no coincidence that cordyceps is dubbed the "heavenly medicine" and is sought after by many people even though the price is so expensive.
Cordyceps according to Traditional Medicine
Thousands of years ago, this was a precious medicinal herb only used to offer kings and emperors. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, cordyceps has a sweet taste, warm properties, and regulates the Kidneys and Lungs. It has the function of tonifying waste, beneficial to kidney and liver, tonifying essence, only blood, nourishing organs, and chemical phlegm.
This precious medicine is often used to treat kidney diseases such as physiological weakness, premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, asthma, bronchitis, long-term cough, coughing up blood, joint pain, diabetes, labored body….
Cordyceps according to Modern Medicine
Modern scientific studies show that cordyceps contains 17 different amino acids and content of vitamins (A, C, B12, E, K, ...), trace elements (Mn, Al, K, etc.) , Na, Mg...), abundant D-mannitol.
Especially the rare active ingredients, hard to find in other natural herbs such as HEAA, Cordyceptic Acid, Adenosine, Hydroxyethyl Adenosine, etc.
So specifically, what effect does cordyceps have on human health?
Comprehensive health supplement
This is a great nutritious royal medicine, good for the elderlyCordyceps contains abundant vitamins and minerals, which is a great tonic for the body. Provide energy, necessary nutrients, help the body stay healthy, prevent body weakness.
Amino acid composition stimulates the body to produce oxygen and ATP to nourish cells, stimulate metabolism, reduce fatigue. Therefore, this is a tonic for the elderly, people who have just woken up, people with anorexia, malnutrition, and stunting.
Physiological enhancement
With men | Tonify kidney, strengthen yang, enhance hormone production, blood circulation, stimulate libido, control premature ejaculation, improve erectile dysfunction, physiological weakness. At the same time, increase the quantity and quality of sperm, support the treatment of infertility, infertility. |
With women | Regulate and stimulate hormone production, enhance libido, relieve dryness. At the same time, regulate menstrual disorders, reduce premenstrual symptoms, improve premenstrual symptoms, good for infertile women, prepare for pregnancy. |
Strengthen resistance to prevent disease
Active ingredient Selenium in medicinal herbs has the effect of suppressing the immune system, combined with vitamins A and C. Forming a barrier to protect the body from bacteria, viruses, harmful agents, and effective disease prevention. fruit.
Cordyceps supports the treatment of various diseases
Cordyceps is used in the treatment of many different diseases.
Prevention of cardiovascular disease | Active ingredient D-mannitol helps to stabilize heart rate, blood circulation, reduce blood cholesterol levels, prevent blood fat. Thereby, preventing stroke, myocarditis and clogged arteries. |
Support treatment of liver disease | Eliminate toxins in the liver, enhance liver function, support the treatment of hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver, ... |
Supporting the treatment of type 2 diabetes | Stabilize blood sugar, actively nourish the body for diabetics. |
Support for lung disease | Amino acids enhance oxygen exchange, clean the lungs, regenerate lung cells, especially in smokers. Helps relieve cough, dissolve phlegm, support bronchitis, asthma, long-term cough, cough up blood, ... |
Lower blood cholesterol | Regulate and stabilize blood cholesterol levels, reduce excess fat, prevent atherosclerosis, good for obese people, fatty blood. |
Supplement the kidneys, support the treatment of kidney diseases | Restore, enhance kidney function, support treatment of kidney failure, nocturia, urinary frequency. At the same time, prevent and prevent kidney failure, kidney stones. |
Preventing and supporting cancer | Inhibits, slows down the growth and replication of cancer cells, aids in reducing tumor size. At the same time supplementing necessary nutrients, increasing resistance and health for cancer patients. |
The use of cordyceps in beauty
Cordyceps is used in famous beauty dishesThe ingredients Saponin, Cordycepic acid, Adenosine, etc. have the effect of increasing blood circulation, making the skin rosy and youthful. Combined with abundant vitamins, it effectively reduces pigmentation, dark spots, freckles, wrinkles, anti-aging. At the same time, using cordyceps is the secret to women's balanced physique and shiny hair.
4 Instructions on how to use cordyceps
As a rare multi-billion-dollar brand name, many people wonder if they should use Cordyceps so that the body can fully absorb the nutrient content. Cordyceps to do what? Here are the daily uses as well as effective remedies from cordyceps.
Daily use of cordyceps | Eat it raw | Take 1 fish, wash it with warm water and chew it raw, then swallow it completely. |
Soak honey | Soak 100g of cordyceps in 500ml of honey for 7-10 days. Take 15ml each time mixed with warm water to drink. |
Make tea | Use 5g of fresh cordyceps or some dried cordyceps in hot water for about 10 minutes. After enjoying the tea, chew and swallow the residue. |
Cooking | Using cordyceps as an ingredient in everyday dishes such as porridge, stewed pork ribs, stewed pigeon, hot pot, steamed fish, etc. |
Pickled wine | Use cordyceps soaked with ginseng, deer antler, goji berries, seahorses, etc. optionally, soaked with good wine, incubated for about 1 month. Use 1-2 small cups per day for the main meal. |
Medicines from Cordyceps
In traditional medicine, cordyceps is a rare and precious medicine, used in many remedies for incurable and dangerous diseases. Here are some remedies and healing dishes that readers can refer to.
Cordyceps is used in many dishes and remedies to increase male vitality
Cure physiological weakness, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, impotence, spermatogenesis, dream sperm |
Remedy 1 | Sac 1 liter of medicinal juice from 12g of three sizes, 12g of ha thu o, 8g of erotic yang hoac, collected 300ml. Dissolve 6g of powdered cordyceps into the medicine, divide it 2-3 times a day. |
Remedy 2 | Cook 100g sliced lean pork with 10g cordyceps and eat twice a day while still hot. |
Remedy 3 | Thinly slice 500g mountain goat meat, blanch in boiling water to deodorize. Add 40g Hoai Son, 15g Goji berries, 18g Cordyceps, 4 dates, pour in water and simmer on low fire for 2 hours. Season with seasoning and use up within the day. |
Remedy 4 | Preliminarily clean 8 quails, cut open the abdomen, add 1 cord of cordyceps to each. Simmer the quail for about 40 minutes and eat while still hot. |
Treatment of lung disease, respiratory disease | Cure cough, bronchitis | Color 8g white skin, 6g flowers, 3g anise, 3g licorice and 700ml of water collected 200ml. Mix 6g of cordyceps powder, divide into 3 parts and drink 3 times a day. |
Cure shortness of breath, asthma | Preliminary processing of 1 small duck, skin incision in the neck area. Stuff 7-10 cordyceps and sew closed. Add spices, wine and vinegar to a cooked stew and eat when hungry. |
Cure pulmonary tuberculosis, tonify the lungs | Marinate 100g of chicken, add 15g of medicinal herbs, 15g of coriander into the stew. |
Nourish the body, cure neurological diseases |
| Treat epilepsy, weak nerves | Boil a small pig brain with 3g of cordyceps in low heat. Season with spices and eat immediately when hungry. |
| Replenishment, reduce fatigue, clear mind | Soak 30g of curd with 500ml of white wine for 1 month. Use 1 small cup for each meal. |
| Cure insomnia, nervous breakdown | Stew 100g pork ribs, 12g ginseng, 12g goji berries, 12g dong quai, 9g cordyceps for about 1 hour. |
What does cordyceps do? Cure stomach pain
Use a tortoiseshell, cut the blood, remove the head and cut into 4 parts and then boil until cooked. Steamed in a water bath with 10 red apples, 10g of cordyceps, a few slices of ginger, minced onion and garlic for 2 hours. Eating right while still hot will help reduce abdominal pain, improve belching, heartburn, reflux.
Yin and beauty care for women | Beauty care, rejuvenation | Stew 1 evil chicken, 100g pecans, 30g red apple, 5g cordyceps, 4 slices of fresh ginger until cooked and seasoned to taste. |
Regulate endocrine, improve physiology | Preliminary processing of 500g freshwater fish, marinated with spices. Steamed with water with 10 seeds removed, 5g of cordyceps, fresh ginger. |
5 Distinguish real - fake cordyceps
The output of cordyceps in nature is very scarce, less than 80kg per year, completely unable to meet the needs of users around the world. Therefore, many business establishments have had very sophisticated counterfeiting acts such as using gypsum and cornstarch to "shape" the worms. Or cram more sections of steel core to fake and increase product weight.
| To identify quality cordyceps, readers can refer to these tips | Observe the outside appearance | - True Cordyceps has a short head and stem, the junction between the two parts is not clearly visible. On the body every 3 veins will have 1 fold and line up in a straight line, the whole body has about 20-30 notched stripes.
- When the worm is broken, it will be white, without fibers, with a black V-shaped core in the middle.
- Imitation of unnatural folds, flattened. When broken without an inner core or a core made of imitation steel, the cross-section is pale white, smooth, unnatural.
- Real cordyceps feel like cotton while fake ones are usually heavier.
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Identify by taste | - True worms when chewed have a fragrant, slightly sticky tooth, the longer they chew, the more fragrant they become. The fake type is usually hard, has a strong smell like clay, the more you chew it, the more intense the taste, sticky teeth and sweet taste.
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Based on scent | - The real type has a characteristic aroma, similar to that of shiitake mushrooms. When dried or heated, the more fragrant. The fake type when burned, the fragrance will fade away.
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Closely observing the external characteristics is the correct way to identify the real – the fake6 How much does Cordyceps cost?
Currently on the market there are two types of cordyceps including natural and cultured. In addition, from these two types, one can make many other products. Depending on the origin, type and quality, the price of cordyceps varies markedly.
Price of natural cordyceps
This type is mainly exploited in Tibet, Bhutan as well as some provinces in China such as Sichuan, Gansu, Yunnan, etc. The annual output is less than 80kg, very scarce, so the price is very high. expensive.
Natural cordyceps is expensive, so it is likened to a "billion dollar special drug".Currently on the market, the price of natural cordyceps is for sale about 1,2-1,8 billion VND/kg dry. Due to difficult conditions, it is very rare to have fresh cordyceps, which are mainly dried and dried by people.
It is a fact that few people know that, not all insects living in nature are valuable. Depending on the growing conditions, specific topography, climate, soil, etc., the quality of cordyceps differs in each region.
According to experts, the cordyceps exploited in the Tibetan plateau, especially in Na Khuc, have the best quality in the world. The types mined in Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, and Xinjiang have little or no medicinal value.
Therefore, when choosing to buy this expensive brand name drug, users need to be very careful in researching and putting their trust in a reputable buying address.
Price of cultured cordyceps
Currently, there are a few countries such as China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam that have successfully researched and artificially cultured cordyceps.
Faced with the fact that the scarce natural species cannot meet the demand for use, this is the perfect alternative. Because cultured cordyceps has high medicinal value, the price is only 1/10 of the cheap price.
Artificially cultured cordyceps is cheaper and more diverseReaders can refer to the price list of some types of cultured cordyceps products below.
- The type cultured on fresh silkworm pupae is about 8 million/100 gr and 6 million - 7 million/20 gr dried.
- The type of cultured fresh fruit body is about 2 million/100g and 4 million - 6 million/100g.
- The type of powder is about 2 million - 3 million/100g.
In fact, depending on the manufacturing facility, the listed price fluctuates. Readers can contact directly for the best price advice.
